MYSTERY surrounds the theft of two pictures from the window of a Farnworth framing shop, showing the Manhattan skyline and the two World Trade Centre Towers.

The pictures were snatched from the window of Frame Around in Market Street, after thieves threw a brick at it shattering the glass.

A police investigation has failed to find the culprits and the theft has left the shop owner, Leslie Cliff wondering about the motive.

Folowing the tragedy of September 11, Mr Cliff, who also owns Picturesque in Bolton reduced the cost of his many prints of America from £65 to £40 by taking his profit out of the framing costs.

For every picture sold he is donating £10 to the American Fire Service Appeal.

He put a selection of America prints in his window to advertise the appeal and was shocked to discover two had been stolen.

Other pictures of New York were damaged in the incident, including a commemorative picture of The World Trade Towers, taken by the world renowned photographer James Blakeway.

The two photographs stolen showed the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset with the two World Trade Towers in the background and a steeplejack sitting on a girder in a New York skyscraper.

Mr Cliff said: "It seems very strange that only that window was broken and the only pictures taken were of America and the World Trade Towers. I was very shocked and upset that someone would do this especially as we were donating money from the sale to such a worthy cause. I do not want to antagonise anyone, I am just trying to help."

Mr Cliff has put his shop back to normal and is continuing to use pictures of America in the window display. He said: "We have raised £140 so far and this will not stop us."